Website Design Rules | Your website is everything! So how do you make sure it’s optimized to accomplish its main goal — converting visitors to clients? Many website owners think a better website means a complete overhaul – a brand new website. In some cases that may be true, but in our experience, just a few tweaks can make the difference between bland and beautiful.

The secret to effective website design is really very simple: you’ve got to understand the universal rules of great design, and follow them, all the time. The tips in this article will help you improve your website and make it something your visitors are interested in reading, and passing on to others. Whether you’re a beginner at online design, or a web veteran, you’re bound to discover one or two tips here that will change the way you work, so read on!

The 5 Second Rule | Website Design Rules

Remember that you have just five seconds to communicate your value proposition to visitors when they visit your website. If you don’t answer a their needs right away, they will click “back” and leave your website. Make sure your website has interesting and informative text that draws visitors in, and gives them a reason to stick around. People skim online, particularly when they first get to a website. You want the contents of your website to give them what they want quickly, but at the same time, provide enough detail for those who want expansion on the basics.

Keep It Clutter-Free | Website Design Rules

The world around us has become really cluttered, and the internet is no exception. Ads, banners, icons, badges, signs, pop-ups, buttons, and so on – sometimes it can all feel a bit too heavy. To keep visitors on your website, make sure pages do not have competing calls to action, or visual clutter, like lots of graphics, photographs or animated GIFs that would draw the visitor’s eyes away from the most important part of the page. To further keep clutter away on landing pages, consider limiting the links and options in the header and footer to narrow the focus even further.

Calls to Action | Website Design Rules

Look at any successful e-commerce, or service provider website and you will see they include a CTA, or a Call To Action. The most common calls to action are “Request a Quote,” “Buy Now,” and “Work With Us.” You should avoid saying just “Click Here.” By creating links that are simple and explanatory, you help your visitors, and make them want to click.

Don’t Make Me Squint | Website Design Rules

There is no reason to publish website copy in a tiny font. If a website isn’t easy to read, there’s no reason for your potential clients to stick around for the additional effort. Choose a font that’s simple and easy on the eyes. The following fonts typically work well for websites: Arial, Georgia, Helvetica, Verdana, and Times New Roman.

Don’t Attempt To Target Everyone | Website Design Rules

When designing a website, it is crucial to remember who your target audience is. While designing for everyone in an effort to get massive traffic may seem wise, remember that defining a target audience, and designing with that target in mind will lead to more conversions, and a better conversion rate for your company’s website.

It’s No Longer Just About The Desktop | Website Design Rules

When the internet was in its infancy, there was only one choice for people who were trying to connect. It was desktop or nothing if you wanted to browse the internet. What good is a professional-looking website if it’s not professional-looking on mobile devices? In today’s world, zilch. Keep mobile development in mind as you build your website, so that all of your clients can achieve optimal interaction with your website from whatever device they employ.

Use Big, Bold Images | Website Design Rules

Today’s internet is accessible to users at blistering speeds beyond the wildest dreams of the web of 25 years ago. One of the best ways to take advantage of this new speed is to utilize multimedia, and put videos to work for your business. This seems to be a pretty big trend in web design, and it’s only because images do speak louder than words. Grab your visitors’ attention with beautiful imagery.

Flash Websites Are Dead | Website Design Rules

There was a time not so long ago that the most visually stunning websites were created with Flash. But that’s no longer the case. No one with a device running iOS will be able to view your website, which is killing your mobile reach. There are definitely places to use Flash, but play it smart and consider the audience. Users have to be able to see your website if they don’t have (or can’t run) the plug-in.

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I had been following Media Novak’s work for a while now and was always impressed with their logo work. The logo designs they came up with based on my wishes for what I wanted it to look like were above and beyond what I had imagined. The process itself was smooth and so easy. I gave input and they took it on board and applied it to the next design. I would highly recommend them any day!

Chantal Lachance-Gibson Photography

I cannot begin to say enough about Mark & the team at Media Novak. Their customer service has been TOP NOTCH! They have gone way beyond my expectations and dreams and have put together a website for me that I am so proud of… I actually can’t believe that it’s mine! If you are looking for a new website or new branding then look no further… contact these guys today!

Myrick Cowart – Photographer

Thank you thank you thank you! I really appreciate all of your help and your quick replies and editing, and well, everything. I will DEFINITELY be referring your team! I love my new logo and I love that it is completely my own and completely encompasses my brand. I really appreciate all of the time and effort your team has put into this project. Thank you again and again!

Bethany Petersen – Photographer

I decided to hire Media Novak after seeing a friends logo that I really liked. I sent them my ideas but I actually preferred one of their original concepts over my own ideas! They really understood the look and feel I was trying to achieve and I am delighted with my new logo! I found the process to be really enjoyable and smooth and emails were answered very quickly… a big thumbs up from me!

Karen McGowran – Photographer

Media Novak were helpful and listened to me as the client… never once tried to push their likes onto me… but they do offer good advice. I think what has mattered most to me was once we went live, they were very much still around to iron out little problems that only became noticeable to myself with the daily running of a website and a blog! I would highly recommend them to other businesses!

Jo-Ann Stokes – Photographer

Media Novak designed a beautiful website for me and I’m very satisfied with it. They listened to what I wanted and tailored the site to fit me and I really appreciate that. Their prices are reasonable and the quality is fantastic. I would highly recommend this company.

About Us

MediaNovak is a creative design agency that specializes in web design, online marketing, graphic design and corporate identity solutions. We started our company with some basic ideals—offer our customers exceptional design, while delivering a positive customer experience.

These ideals have helped grow our business and drive customers to our door. A majority of our business comes simply from “word of mouth” referrals—one customer telling another of the experience that we offer here. We consider this the ultimate compliment.